As an Etsy seller and small business owner, I realized quickly how essential quality images are to sell my products and get traction on blog posts. And what I’ve learned is that wherever you sell your items, that great images are the key to a great eCommerce business! A great way to save money as a small business owner is to create a home photography studio. So, let’s discuss my in-home photography studio and how you can set one up too!
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Create a Home Photography Studio: The Benefits
First, let’s talk about why I recommend that you create a home photography studio. Knowing that your business requires quality product images, it can be hard (and expensive!) to hire a photographer for each new product you create. Therefore, nothing will allow you to make that happen more easily and quickly than having your very own at- home photography studio setup! All you need is a spare room or a small section of any room in your home.
Below are just a few more reasons why I love having my own in-home photography studio.
- It’s temporary – simply put away the studio when you’re done
- Easy and fast to set up – you can be don’t with your product shoot in less than an hour
- You can collapse it – storage is a breeze when all you do is fold it up and put it away in your closet or under your bed
Depending on what your products are, you may not need as much space as you think for your home photography studio. In the above photo, you can see my small space for my home photo studio. It really isn’t that big at all! Don’t be afraid to test out space in multiple rooms because a small photography studio setup is totally possible!
Photography Studio Setup Essentials
Secondly, the next step towards setting up a photography studio from scratch is getting your equipment! Below are the must-have items I recommend to get your mini photo studio up and running!
In Home Photography Studio Backdrop and Stand
First and foremost, I highly recommend a white backdrop! Some might recommend a green backdrop. However, you may not be that advanced in terms of your editing abilities (or maybe that’s just me! lol). This white backdrop is smooth, seamless, and is non-reflective, which will make editing your images a breeze.
Next addition to your home photography studio? A backdrop stand is a must to hold up the white paper that I listed above. I recommend, for instance, this backdrop stand – but any size that works for your needs will do.
Luckily, on Amazon, these stands come in all kinds of shapes and sizes that will fit your home photography studio, whatever the size!
In Home Photography Studio Lighting
Most importantly, what home photo studio setup would be complete without proper lighting? I just love this lighting kit because the lights are surprisingly bright, the quality is solid, and the price can’t be beaten!
Of course, if your products are much smaller (jewelry, for instance) then you don’t need a huge lighting kit. A simple ring light kit will work perfectly for what you need. I have included a few lighting kit options below, depending on the size you need and your budget.
A Camera and Tripod for Your Photography Studio Setup
The next essential is kind of obvious. You need a great camera. Have no fear! You can definitely use your phone camera. My iPhone takes wonderful pictures! Ultimately, I recommend you splurge with this digital SLR camera. Unquestionably, it’s so lightweight, easy to use, and provides high-quality images. Don’t worry. You can totally use the automatic setting and get amazing photos! You can worry about learning crazy photography tricks later!
And lastly on the list for your home photography studio, is a tripod! I honestly don’t use a tripod ALL that much, but it comes in handy when there is low light or when you want to do pictures of yourself. Stay steady with this lightweight, adjustable, and astonishingly well-priced camera mount tripod.
How to Set Up Your Items to Create A Home Photography Studio
Generally, I recommend setting up your in-home photography studio in the following order:
- Set up the backdrop stand
- Put up the white backdrop paper
- Arrange your lighting
- Layout your products
- Set up the tripod
- Mount the camera
- Point and shoot
Here I am setting up my backdrop stand, which is seriously a cinch. Seriously, it’s so simple, I can do it all by myself! This is awesome because I don’t have to ask my husband for help – which is sometimes inevitable with house projects, amiright ladies?!
Below is an example of the light all set up and ready to go!
Could it BE any easier? (Chandler reference anyone?)
Storing Your Home Photography Studio
As mentioned previously, the best thing about all of this home photography studio equipment is that its super easy to take down and store. This is great when we have company. As an example below, check out how easy it is to store the photo studio lighting kit in the guest bedroom closet!
Additionally, the tripod fits perfectly under the guest bed, and no one is the wiser!
Lastly, the Backdrop stand breaks down into smaller pieces and easily fits under the bed as well. It’s a dream come true for a hostess who runs her own business!
Examples of What You Can Do With Your In-Home Photography Studio Setup
As you may know, I’m a party decorations designer and an accountability coach for personal development. You can check out all my stuff on this blog, or in my Etsy shop. Because of this, my pictures involve mostly party decorations, and a few of yours truly. You can check out a few of the photos I’ve taken using my in home photography studio below.
And, with the right lighting and good use of the timer on your tripod you can even get some good pictures of yourself if you’re in influencer or a business owner. Say cheese!
So, what do you think about this in-home photography studio setup? Tell me in the comments if you will be adding these items to your in-home studio and what you’ll be photographing! Can’t wait to hear.
Related Articles
Check out these related articles:
The Best Course for Your Creative Business
How to Use Etsy to Sell on Your Website
How Your Beliefs Effect Your Business
Let’s Connect
Lastly, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read this blog! I hope this gives you some ideas about how to easily set up your own studio. Tell me below what you thought! I love to help you celebrate life through party decorations and beyond. Above all, I’d love to connect with you. Reach out to me on Instagram and let’s chat, or continue celebrating your life with The Celebration Effect.
xoxo Lindsay
